Western appeal. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1885-18??, 1887-07-16
The Hamilton-MOOre Case.

lis papers published their accounts of
the shooting Of Moore by Hamilton,
week before last, called forth little
editorial which appeared in the last
issue of the APPEAL, we did not
know then the full facts in the case, but
judging from former observations, we
felt justified in expressing orr senti-
ments as we did. In proof that we
were right in our conclusions, and
voiced the sentiments Of the intelligent
portion of the colored people, we ap-
pend the following letter of Rev. w. H.
Coston which appeared in last Fridays
Minneapolis Journal.
Mrs. G.. s. Hamilton, the wife Of the
accused in the Moore case, was married
by me on Feb. s, 1887. She accounts for
being at the entrance of the Merchants
hotel in lucid and candid manner::" On
the evening of the Fourth. she says,
i attended a sociable. At IL O'Clock
my husband came for me. I left the
sociable in company with him for home.
Ny husband said to me, I must stop at
brothers. room to get the alarm clock
His brother rooms at the Merchants.
While I was waiting at the door I was
spoken to by man from a win dow
above. / paid no attention to his re-
marks other than to step in the door
way to escape further insult. I had
barely done so before man was trying
to caress me, when my husband came
strated and in return was knocked down.
did no 1yv,nxr NH oh
my husband run and followed him."
Mrs. Hamilton is consistent christ
ian and faithful member of the First
African ne. E. church. Her statement
bears the evidence of truth and candor.
1t is rational and places her husband in
the position that nine out of ten men
| would have assumed in like circum-
stances. The blacks, when accused of
crime, are adjudged guilty by the press
before it has learned the facts. They
are black and necessarily guilty as &C
cused. The press should be fair as the
tribune Of all the people, In this I'M
fortunate affair, as in all others, in
which 9 black is the accused, the press
makes the individuals color more con-
spicuous than the alleged crime. Does
| it further the ends Of justice Does it
not vitiate the public sentiment?
Mr.. Editor: is it alone in the case of
black criminals to make mention of
their social connection? Is it not suffi-
Gent to mention the crime and name
of the individual as is done in the case
of the many criminals of the many
nationailties of the city? Is it not best
ifthe color must be known, that the
4 police should have such information to
aid them in detecting the criminal
Will it not aid the ends of justice and
lessen the influence of prejudice Has
not the press in this case, in the persons
of its reporters, leagued itself with the
saloon element andd denounced an inno-
cent, christian and helpless woman as
being one Of the lowest of Gods fallen
creatures, and frenzied the minds OF
the crime elementsto prepare lynch
ing for Mr.. Hamilton when apprehend.
Led by justice. Lynch law is but murder
and lawless murder is but the parent OF
arson and assassination. Even black
men lynch, murder and assassinate
Young northern blacks are not the do.
/ Gle creatures that their fathers were in
the south, White men will do well te
make metal note of the change. Both
white and black men will do we'll tt
treat each other more humanity. White
men of the class interested in the sa
loon and its kindred businesses vii
save the police, surgeons and under
takers much inconvenience by recog
nizing that some, not all, colored womeI
are prostitutes, and that colored me1
will protect their wives.
L III w II H,n,,<>,,